Heaven's Not Enough
by OneRogueAngel
Summary: So many unanswered questions... The worlds were now joined, the future for all safe at last, however why does Yumemi still feel as if something was missing? Is it all really over or is once more fate intervening, changing everything all over again...
1. Chapter 1: Left Behind

**Heaven's Not Enough**

**Chapter 1: Left Behind…**

Along a cliff's edge, a lone figure stands, gazing intently at the world beyond. A gust of wind shoots through the clearing, causing their unruly hair to dance lightly in the breeze. Slowly, the figure blinks, their concentration broken. Raising their head slightly, their gaze focus's on the clear sky beyond, the infinite strands of light and dark blue that intertwine and encircle above clouds of gentle white. The scenery is somewhat comforting for the figure, and though she knows it is impossible, it seems as if she has been here many times, that she had stared into heavens like this, finding comfort from their icy depts.

Slowly, the figure turns, dragging her eyes away from the almost hypnotic scenery, to begin her decent away from the cliff's edge. Soon, the loose earth and gravel underfoot fades to large, flagstone pavements, the desolate landscape suddenly inhabited by large, whitewashed buildings crumbling with time. Not breaking stride, the figure stayed towards the outskirts of the city, her delicate feet making no sound on the stone below. Ducking under fallen pillars and around piles of rubble, the figure continued onward until in no time at all, her goal was in sight. In the middle of a large clearing, a shallow pool resided, its contents gently lapping at its stone sides.

After a brief glance around her, the girl hurriedly descends the stone steps, making her way over to the pool. As she reaches its edge, she hesitates, not knowing what she will see in the water's blue depts. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, the girl reached out to grasp the stone lip of the pool, gradually pulling herself into a leaning position over the edge.

Her reflection stared back at her—flowing yellow hair, and big, green eyes—nothing more, nothing less. For a moment, the girl sat there, willing the water to come alive, to show her, like before, what action she should take. However, no matter how hard she tried to have it be otherwise, the water continued to be still.

"Please," she whispered, her soft pleas cutting the silence around her, "I don't know what to do anymore. Everything seemed so clear before, but now…" she glanced away.

"Tell me what I should do. Show me something. Anything!"

Nothing happened.

As her voice slowly faded, silence engulfed the clearing once more.

The girl bowed her head, her hair falling like a certain to hide her face. "Why?" she asks softly, her gaze never wavering from the pool, "why will you no longer show me? What have I done? I used to be able to see…I used to be…" A sob escapes her. Slowly, she collapses onto the cold stone, her form shaking slightly.

"Why…why have I been left behind?" She whispers her gaze now cloudy with unshed tears. Her head sinks to the pavement, obscuring her face from view.

Not being able to hold back her tears any longer, Yumemi sat there and cried, unleashing the overpowering feelings of hopelessness and despair that she would otherwise not show.

.*.

Cautiously, Yumemi opened her eyes, squinting into the darkness.

For a moment, she just lay there, watching the swirls of shadow play tricks upon the ceiling. She did not need to look at the clock on the nightstand to know it was still late. Purposefully, she kept her mind blank, allowing her senses to wonder. The night was eerily silent, the same silence of the late midnight hours where even the nightly creatures had receded back to slumber, leaving the sky and earth seemly empty.

Slowly, she raised herself into a sitting position, her knees coming forward to rest against her chest. Without thought, she raised her delicate hand and entangled it in her loose hair. After a gentle squeeze, she let it fall to rest at the nape of her neck.

Letting out a deep sigh, Yumemi raised her head slightly to stare out the window, blinking her large, green eyes at the terrain beyond. Sure enough, the night was still in full swing, the air seemingly thick and intoxicating as it sometimes was at this hour. Her gaze traveled upward, past the half shade of moon shining back at her and towards something else, something that could not be made out in darkness of this magnitude.

She sat there for a while, her large eyes focused on what's hidden in the heavens above. Though unable to be seen, Yumemi was certain that it was there. Spending most of her life gazing up at the same large plain of land, Yumemi never had trouble finding it in the silent sky. Resting above the heavens, she knew that the giant island floated, still and silent in the night air.

Not being able to put it off any longer, Yumemi slowly let the contents of her dream wash over her.

It was true that these last few years had not been easy for her, but she had always been able to press on. Though not exactly what she had always dreamed of, Yumemi could not complain about her current lifestyle. She had graduated high school with pretty good marks, enabling her to enter a fairly good college. Ichiko had even enrolled with her and they were still as close as ever. They were even roommates, now. Though Suzume did not join them at University, choosing instead to marry Kazuya and stay with him until his studies are completed, they still stayed in contact and saw each other on a regular basis. She was even able to keep in contact with her family, visiting them whenever possible.

What more could she have asked for?

Her life was filled with joy and laughter, the happiness of her friends seeping into her being. As long as the ones she loved were happy, then she was content.

Then why was she having these dreams? Why was she suddenly unsure?

She had gotten over the shock long ago, the ever sinking, bottomless hole of longing that filled her being for months at a time, then the jarring stab from the realization that he would never return. It had all slowly repaired alongside the city around her. She had gotten over those childish hopes, finally realizing that they could never come to pass. This was her life now, not those fleeting dreams of a fourteen year old. She understood that, had finally accepted the enviable, that this was all life had to offer.

But then why did she now feel so lost?

For a fleeting moment, Yumemi let herself wonder… wonder if it was different… if…

But no, she was being silly.

She shook her head slowly in the darkness, not believing her absurdity.

She had done her job, fulfilled her dept to both worlds. The worlds were now joined, the course of Akuto able to flow freely between them.

She was a hero. She was no longer that timid girl afraid of the floating islands only she could see. Now, everyone could see the same sky she could, they could even travel to the other world if they so wished. The novelty of the Heavens had long worn off, becoming just another aspect of everyday life.

The future that they had fought so hard for was now a reality. She should be content, overjoyed really.

But she wasn't.

Though she hated to admit it, there was still some small, embarrassing part of her that spoke of grander things, that life had more to offer than this.

But how could she possibly believe that?

Five years….

Five years had passed and still nothing. Surely something would have happened before this amount of time had passed.

At first, it had seemed like nothing. What were a few months? He had left her his cape and gold ring as a promise that he would not leave her for long. She had been busy with her studies anyway, the ever looming high school entrance exams getting closer and closer. He had promised to come back, and she had fully believed in him.

When a year came around, even then she did not worry. She had had to wait a year before. This was nothing. He must have just been busy, as he always was. She could wait a little longer; he would come when he could. Even Toche, who she had taken to visiting almost weekly, reassured her that he would come back; all she had to do was be patient. Yet, she still couldn't help it when her eyes shifted towards the islands beyond, her mind always never too far away.

It was during this time that she was constantly expecting for him to suddenly appear before her, as was his fashion. Everywhere she would go, her eyes would scan around her, looking for that flash of vibrant red and those searing, golden eyes. She even swore on occasion that she could almost feel that electric shock racing through her, just like before when she would cross worlds. Often, she found herself standing on that little wooden bridge, imaging that it would take her once again to that magical place. It was times like this that she would just close her eyes, a small smile tracing her lips, and stand silent for a moment, feeling the world around her. Then, as if nothing happened, she would go on her way once more.

He was coming. She was sure of it.

It is hard to pinpoint exactly when the realization fully set in that he was never coming back. Was it as the second year rolled around? The third? It is always hard to tell. Either way, those were dark times.

Maybe she had always known, deep down, that he had abandoned her. Looking back, he had never truly promised her, it was just a mutual understanding between him. After a while, the citizens of the Upper World began fearing the worst, that somehow, their valiant King had perished, however Yumemi knew better. If he had truly died, wouldn't she have known? Wouldn't her link with him have somehow let her know at least that much?

However, as the months dragged by, she did have her doubts…

Nevertheless, it became increasingly clear that she had just not wanted to listen to reason, to see what was staring her in the face for so long. She had been a fool for ever dreaming that he would come back to her.

Maybe it was when she could no longer find his ring or cape anywhere, though she spent hours tearing her room apart looking for them. That had been a tough blow. She had cried for hours, not knowing how she could have misplaced something so precious.

How could she have lost the gifts he gave her?

When he came back, what ever would she tell him?

But then he was never coming back, so what did it matter.

No longer did she look with hope towards the heavens. No longer did she walk with that spring in her step or gaze expectantly out into a crowd. Mainly, she just kept her face down, not looking at anyone.  
It was at this time that she contemplated bringing out her old umbrella, just for something to hide behind. However, she finally chose against it. She was no longer afraid of what she saw. That, at least, remained the same.

It was what she didn't see that caused her pain.

Her visits to the Heavens became fewer and fewer, until she barley visited at all. No one really blamed her; they could tell it must be hard for her. Even Toche didn't complain when their talks became fewer and far between. Everyone was busy anyway. The Heavens were almost fully rebuilt, shining in a splendor that hasn't been seen in centuries. Now, the floating island was a flood of tourists and other curious onlookers from the Lower World, booming with life and prosperity.

No longer did they need a slip of a girl to remind them of the past, she understood that.

It was hard, though; to have to go on as if nothing happened, going through the normal routines of life acting as if she weren't constantly staring up at the sky with hopes for more. However, with time, she came to accept it. Come to get over how she felt and was even able to genially smile again. Her friends were always there, always supportive, and that may have helped, somewhat, to speed up the healing process. Yumemi soon learned how to leash her feelings and hopes, locking them away in a corner of her mind, away from her everyday thought. Soon she was able to function normally once more. She had quickly set to the task of making her life the best that she could, and had felt pretty proud of herself for accomplishing it. Even when she would sometimes pass his memorial, she was proud to know that it no longer affected her too badly. Sure, it still hurt, but the pain was somewhat bearable now.

The rest of high school rushed by in a blur and before she knew it, there she was, looking up into that darkened sky and wondering… wondering if that really was the end of it.

Well, there really was only one way to find out, wasn't there…

* * *

**Just something that has been preoccupying my mind for the last few days. **

** Let me know what you think.**

**more comming soon.**

**Signed,**

**OneRogueAngel**


	2. Chapter 2: The Water's Edge

**Chapter 2: the Water's Edge…**

Her mind made up, Yumemi swung her legs over the side of the bed. As if on autopilot, she rushed to her dresser and pulled out what she hoped was a clean white pullover and a pair of blue jeans. She hastily got dressed then began slowly working out the tangles from her long, golden hair. Unintentionally, she must have made some noise for slowly, her roommate raised her sleepy head, her eyes squinting into the darkness.

"Yumemi?" she asked sleepily, "What are you doing?" Hesitantly, a hand reached up from under the covers to wipe away at the sleep in her dark eyes. "Did I sleep in again or something?"

"No, nothing like that. I just have something I need to go do."

Ichiko's eyes shifted to the digital clock on her right, then back at Yumemi, piercing her with a long stare.

"You are aware that it's not even four in the morning, right?" Ichiko was looking at her as if she had grown two heads. Not able to hold her friend's gaze through the mirror, Yumemi looked down, still absently running the brush through her hair. "Yes, I know."

"And it can't wait until a decent hour because?"

"Look, I'll be back before you know it, I promise. Just go back to bed." Seemingly happy with her appearance, Yumemi walked over to the door to retrieve her shoes.

"Right, as if I could just go back to sleep." Slowly, she rolled out of bed, stretching her arms over her head when she was fully vertical. "Just give me a second to get ready."

"Oh, but you don't have to…" again, she was pierced with that sharpened stare.

"Of course I do. What friend would I be if I just let you parade around in the wee hours of morning all by yourself." done stretching, she let her arms rest behind her head. "Plus, I'd be lying if I wasn't curious as to what got you out of bed at this hour. But there better be coffee, I'll tell you that much, because this is _ridiculous_." Risking another quick glance at the clock, she stifled a groan. "Make that _lots_ of coffee. And maybe a slice of toast or two."

Yumemi couldn't help but smile at her friend's grumblings. "Thanks, Ichiko."

"Oh, no need to thank me. This is going to cost you, that's for sure. Who do you think is going to pay for said coffee?" She paused, midway shoving an arm into her denim jacket, to wink at her grateful roommate.

It took Ichiko no time at all to become presentable, and soon enough, both girls were heading out, only taking a short detour to the cafeteria to snag some caffeine and, after some persuasion from Ichiko, a much needed bite to eat.

Yumemi could not help but feel slightly anxious as she stared at the bowl of cereal in front of her, unable to eat it. Instead, she just swirled around her spoon, watching the contents move round and round.

They finished in silence and were soon off, choosing to walk the short number of bocks towards the center of the city rather than take their changes finding an empty bus. Neither of them minded walking though, and the early morning air seemed to do them both good.

Ever so sneakily, Ichiko stole a glance towards her silent companion, carefully taking in the all-familiar far away look that had transformed her features. Though seemingly cheery on the outside, Ichiko had known her friend for long enough to know when something was getting to her. The last few days, Yumemi had seemed farther away than usual, her mind always on something else. Though Ichiko tried her best to distract her, to bring out a smile whenever possible, that spacey look would always return when Yumemi thought she wasn't looking. That alone, worried her. And now, they were both heading towards the Upper World, a trip that according to Yumemi, could not have waited a moment longer.

Ichiko had had her theories as to where Yumemi's mind kept wondering off to and she would be lying if she said that she had not seen this coming. However, it was the urgency with which Yumemi had wished to go, and the complete lack of communication between them on the subject that had concerned her most. That was the main reason that she had insisted on coming along with her. Something must really be eating at her to not even share it with her friends. Normally, Yumemi would let something slip, or Ichiko would easily be able to weasel out what was bothering her. However, this time was different. Except for telling her that they were going to the Upper World, Yumemi had stayed strangely mute. In the end, Ichiko just hoped that whatever Yumemi's business was with the place, it would not do any more damage than it already had. Yumemi could only take so much…

The sky was finally beginning to lighten as their way began to gently slant upwards, towards the elevated plain beyond and the ray of light that resided in its very core. She could almost see it through the gray, morning sky, a silent silhouette seeming to touch the heavens itself. As always, Yumemi was amazed that it was still there, a sole beacon of light that never faltered, never dimmed. It was a remarkable thing to see, even after so long. It was even stranger to think that she had been responsible, if only slightly, in its formation. However, that little shred of fact went unnoticed by most people these days, something Yumemi was substantially grateful for.

Glancing around, Yumemi observed that it would not be too much longer until daybreak. Already, the chirps of various birds could be heard from the trees around them, greeting the new day in their own special way. Slowly, the spell of the early hours was being broken as the first rays of light licked at the cold pavement.

Even the slight buzz that had consumed her before, calling her to action, was slowly dissipating with the rising sun, fading more and more with every step she took. Now that she was getting closer to her destination, her journey seemed more and more absurd.

Truthfully, Yumemi didn't know for certain what it was exactly she wanted to accomplish with going to the Upper World. What would come of it, anyway? Closer? A final sense that life is as it should be? Or was it the opposite?

What would happen if she looked into those icy depths and actually saw something?

Yumemi shook her head briskly, not even allowing that possibility to be brooded on any longer. There was no sense in worrying over something that might or might not come to pass, anyway. Whatever happened, she would deal with it when the time came. For now, she just had to concentrate on getting there; then she would see how things went from there.

Before she knew it, they had reached the end of the embankment, her goal now fully in sight. The park before her was seemingly empty at this hour, it's only other inhabitants a few morning joggers, out for an early workout before the start of the workday. Slowing slightly, Yumemi took a few cautious steps towards the middle, not taking her eyes off the blinding gateway. When she had come to its shimmering edge, she stopped, hesitating slightly.

"Are you sure that you still want to do this?" Ichiko's voice called gently from a few feet to her right, "We could turn back now; I wouldn't care. We could even come back later, if you still want to. No one is making you go now."

Steadying herself slightly, Yumemi shook her head back and forth purposefully. "No, I need to know for certain." Her voice was steady and clear. With that, she took a step forward, becoming incased in light.

As always, the jolt of traveling worlds was a bit unnerving. However, Yumemi had experienced this jeer of electric shock so many times that the feeling had become almost second nature to her. Now, she just accepted the slight disorientation, even welcomed it. Ichiko, on the other hand, was not so lucky. Emerging on the other side, she staggered slightly, leaning on Yumemi for support.

"No matter how many times I travel though that damn thing, it still knocks the breath right out of me. I swear, I don't think I'll ever get used to this."

Yumemi gave her friend a reassuring smile, though truthfully she had not paid one bit of attention to what she had said. Taking a deep breath, she gazed around at the large square. Not seeing any familiar faces within the slight trickle of early morning traffic, she breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe this would be easier than she thought.

When Ichiko had recovered as much as she was able, she gestured onward, allowing Yumemi to lead the way. "You know this place better than anyone. How you navigate though these lofty streets, I have no clue. Everything looks the same to me."

Yumemi gave her what she hoped was a cheerful smile, squashing the unintentional pang of sadness at the reason why she had learned the streets so well before it could well up any further.

Turning to her left, she swiftly started climbing a flight of stone steps. At the top of the stair stood an open walkway which led, no doubt, to her goal. Their footsteps lightly echoed on the stone as they walked upon them, the air still and quiet as they walked. Though the sky below would only just begin to feel the first rays of light, up here, the horizon was as icy blue as ever, stretching outwards and unending to their left. The path seemed somewhat disserted, a fact that Yumemi was greatly thankful for. The less people that saw her here, the better.

All she would need to do was look into the pool again. Once this was taken care of, she could finally get this whole thing past her and get back to her life. Ever so slightly, she couldn't help but notice how her dream now seemed to mirror her movements now. The thought was ever present and though she tried to have it otherwise, Yumemi could not help but point out the slight parallels between them. It was like she was experiencing a long spell of Déjà vu. However, a quick glance at Ichiko silently walking next to her was proof enough that not everything was the same. This time she would not be alone. Feebly, she just hoped that single factor would count for something.

Yumemi turned the last corner and the shallow pool was finally within her sights. Slowly, her heart sank.

Standing next to its shallow surface was none other than Lady Ryuely, her tall, colorful outline standing out in the isolated clearing. Gradually, her soft eyes found where Yumemi was standing, placing her with a welcoming gaze. She did not speak, nor did she make any movements towards her, but merely waited for Yumemi to come on her own accord.

Intrigued further, Yumemi closed the distance between them, Ichiko close on her tail. Upon closer examination, Yumemi noted that not a trace of surprise could be found on Ryuely's features. Instead, her whole being spoke of calm acceptance, as if she had known beforehand that Yumemi would arrive.

As she came to a halt, a wave of shyness rose over her, making her feel like that uncertain child once more. Ducking her head under her intense gaze, Yumemi was lost for words.

"Miss Yumemi, what a pleasant surprise," Lady Ryuely stated calmly, her words like a gentle caress. "And Miss Ichiko has chosen to come too. Welcome. I did not expect either of you to come until much later."

"But you were expecting us?" Yumemi raised her head slightly, meeting her soft gaze.

A pregnant pause filled the clearing as a silent understanding passed between the two women. "Oh but of course."

"Then you know what I must do, correct?" Ryuely merely nodded.

Taking a deep breath, Yumemi glanced over towards the now silent water.

Well, no time like the present.

Turning slightly so that she was facing the shallow pool, she slowly made her way over to it, her eyes never leaving its icy depts. When she had reached the edge, she bent down and just like in the dream, pulled herself to a leaning position over the rim.

Just as before, her reflection looked up at her, though this time instead of a petite, large eyed teenager, a grown woman stared back. Though the face was unmistakably hers, it still gave her pause. Her golden hair was now pulled away from her face and into a loose bun, the signature bow missing from it. There was still a few loose strands resting against her face, amplifying her oval features. Her face had filled in some to accommodate her large, green eyes, however they were still as striking as ever, if not just a tad bit duller than she remembered. There was also dark ringlets there that had not recently been there as well. She was paler now too, if that was even possible. Though she hated to admit it, the soft rosy glow that was always sticking to her skin was all but gone.

She stared there for a while, waiting just as she had so many times before, for something to happen. Nothing did though, the waters stayed calm and silent.

"It's true then." She said to no one in particular. "It really is over."

Gently, she raised herself up once more, absently brushing away any trace of dirt leaning against the rim could have brought about. "That's it, then." She looked up, a smile that she didn't quite feel plastered on her face. "Well, thank you for letting me look, Mrs. Ryuely."

The lady lowered her head in acknowledgement, her features, as always, unreadable.

Turning to face Ichiko, Yumemi once again gave that reassuring smile. "We should best get on our way, then." She started back towards the stone steps, not once looking back, afraid that if she did… well she did not want to brood too much on it.

This is what she had wanted, right? Now she could finally get on with her life. In all, those dreams had been just that: dreams. Who was she to get her hopes up anyway? Life was as it should be, that was that.

Ichiko caught up to her as she began to climb the steps, a loss for words. She fell in step behind her, never once taking her eyes off her silent companion. They reached the pathway and slowly made the slow journey back, neither saying a word. Half way down, Ichiko could take no more. Not knowing what else to do, she placed a protective arm around her friend to give her a one-sided hug, "It's alright, Yumemi." She gave her friend's shoulders a tight squeeze, "It's a good thing you didn't see anything, anyway. Much less for us to worry about."

Yumemi nodded weekly, still not able to meet Ichiko's gaze.

"Now, let's go home." Yumemi raised her head feebly to read her friend's calm, caring expression. Giving another tight nod in agreement, they walked on a bit more forcefully.

Not wanting to fully examine what had just occurred, Yumemi concentrated hard on keeping her mind a total blank. Soon, she'd be in her own world again and could put this all behind her.

The realization that something was not quite right began to surface around the third step she took. After a quick glance around, she couldn't make out anything that seemed out of the ordinary, though. However, the further they went, the more acute the feeling would become.

She knew the exact moment when the explosion broke out, causing the ground to shake and panic to fill her being completely. Instinctively, she reached out for Ichiko only to find that she was not there. Loosing her footing, she fell to the ground, staring in horror as the world around her crumbled and disappeared…

.*.

* * *

**Thought I'll post the second chapter, as well, just to give it a little more meat. **

**As always, thank you for reading my fic and I always enjoy any input on it I receive. I did my best with the grammar aspect, but if there was something I missed, feel free to let me know so I could fix it in the future.**

**You should expect the next chapter in about a weeks time or so.**

**Until then,**

**Signed, **

**OneRogueAngel**


End file.
